Drone Proof Clothing?

In a world that has become increasingly dominated by surveillance and invasion of personal privacy, retaliation may come from an unlikely source: fashion. New York City-based artist Adam Harvey has had a long standing vendetta against the surge of technology that invades our lives and keeps track of our every move, and he's fighting back. 

In a previous project, Harvey developed techniques to camouflage faces from facial recognition software, both physically and digitally. The project, named CV Dazzle, uses various makeup and hairstyling techniques to disguise the face against “computer vision” (CV). According to Harvey's website, “the goal of CV Dazzle is to break apart the gestalt of a face, or object, and make it undetectable to computer vision algorithms, in particular face detection.” This project was developed as Harvey's master's thesis at NYU where he studied Interactive Telecommunications. Harvey earned his Bachelor's degree at Penn State where he studied mechanical engineering. It seems unlikely that such a person would find their next big project in fashion design, but that's just what Harvey is doing.

In a project set to launch in at PRIMITIVE London on January 17th, Harvey will unveil a line of clothing specifically designed to disguise the wearer from cameras and cellular signals. The line, known as “Stealth Wear” is the result of a collaboration with fashion designer Johanna Bloomfield, and was inspired by the rise of “authoritarian surveillance” that has surfaced as technology advances. These “counter surveillance fashions” include an anti-drone hoodie and an anti-drone scarf which are designed to thwart the thermal imaging technology widely used by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones). The XX-shirt features a heart-shaped print on the front which shields the wearer from x-ray radiation, and the Off Pocket is an anti-phone accessory that cuts off all cell signal to your phone.

                                                      

Regarding the “Off Pocket”Harvey says:

“Smartphones infiltrate our senses. They cause anxiety, phantom vibrations, and keep us on alert. We expend energy maintaining an always-on connection. Smartphones should come with a switch to turn this off, but they don't. Turning my iPhone off and back on takes 45 seconds. Using flight mode is also clumsy. I wanted a way to quickly and politely disconnect myself without relying on the phone's software or hardware features. The Off Pocket circumvents this design flaw.”

The unveiling fashion show will include presentations accompanying each piece that demonstrate its uses as well as the technology it employs and the counter technology that makes it relevant. While these pieces are still considered concept art, they are being manufactured for public sale, though Harvey admits they will likely not come cheap.

While hair, makeup, and clothing modifications may seem an odd way to circumvent widespread surveillance, with so much of our daily lives being inundated with data-gathering technology, it only makes sense that a response should come in a variety of media, including fashion. Adam Harvey is sure to be a remain a leader of the cause.

*Image courtesy of PRIMITVE London